Updates
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Subject: Sichuan to Yunan
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 18:31:03 +0100
Hey up people,
Good to receive the emails! I have returned to civilization today from an eventful and interesting stay in Xishuangbana in the most southern part of Yunan! Actually let me track back from the last email!
Lijiang (Yunan) is the last time I keep you guys updated! We did a walking trek there through what is called the Tiger Leaping Gorge! This was well worth it, we stayed at the half way point in a little guest house, chilling with books and Chinese chess in the evening, well if it hadn't been for some inspired Canadian girl who told her travelling life story to some poor English sucker! ;))
Lijiang is very touristy but it's also very pretty, for some reason it doesn't really matter that it's all been set up for foreigners to come and see, by day or night you can just stroll around and just check out the multitudes of little stalls and enjoy the atmosphere! They do some killer milkshakes down here too, which is a real treat after a long trek!
Then we set off to Dali (Yunan) a very popular place amongst travellers, the place itself is pretty quiet but it is surrounded by a huge lake and a very long mountain chains! The first day we did a short horse trek to the top of the nearest mountain! It had to be short because for some reason my horse was in a bit of a hurry (maybe he has a thing about travelling too and he had a plane to catch of something... ;) this animal took every opportunity to break into a trot or even gallop! at the very beginning of the trek it went off in a sprint and if it hadn't been for this man appearing from nowhere I would probably be in Shanghai by now, still galloping! ;) anyway the best part of the day is when we walked all along the top of the mountain and came across some amazing waterfalls (the name escapes me now) but stopping there and having some food and reading a book was a real highlight!
The day after that it was back on surprisingly good bikes and we did a 27km stint trying to find this village recommended by the lonely planet called Xizhou! Took us a while to find it but it was a bit of a disappointment, I have a few bones to pick with the lonely planet but I'll spare you the whinge! ;) The bike ride was very pleasant though, I am getting fitter by the day!
Then we were to be blessed with yet another interesting and fulfilling transport experience! 22 hours on a sleeper bus from Dali to Jinghong (xishuangbana - southern part of Yunan). I think they might be doing some tests on road surfaces around here because we must have experienced them all, with all types of weather thrown in too! We were in the dorm part as well, which is right at the back of the bus, with the unexpected company of the Canadian girl previously mentioned! What a treat! I was pretty bruised and exhausted when we finally got to Jinghong, I think I might have kissed the ground too!
Anyway, what was to follow was one of the best things I have done in this trip so far! We hired bikes (we'll call them bikes cos like proper bikes they had 2 wheels) and cycled from Jinghong to Ganglanba. What is so special about this route is that you cycle along the Mekong River. The sun was fierce but the ride was just excellent, we stopped off on the way to have the tastiest pineapple I have even had and watched the sun set on the river when we got to Ganglanba. How a river can make a bike ride so special, I have no idea but I would go back there tomorrow!
To give you a little background the region of Xishuangbana is a place where the most amounts of different minorities live. So you come across numerous villages, little towns, all with their own culture and customs! Not that it's obvious to us but apparently that's the way it is. So after checking out the south part of Xishuangbana along the Mekong we thought we'd check out some more down in Damenglong (south west).
This time we were back on foot (yes, I am desperate for a lazy day soon!!!) from bus to walking to more walking, we got to this little village called Songeer. (This is another trek recommended by the lonely planet that I will try not
to whinge about!) This place feels like the end of the world. We're in the middle of tropical land. (That way I imagine Vietnam to be actually) lush vegetation and high humidity levels. These villages are made of a few huts, many running chicken and pigs and also many children! We got waved in and went to one of the families' huts. What appeared to be the father really looked after us, offered us some tea, and then gave us some soap so we could wash ourselves in the river. He even rescued my flip-flop that got taken by the current! And then picked a chicken with one of the guys and prepared it from scratch for us for diner! It was weird at first cos there we were, sitting in this very dark hut, by the fire. They're staring at us smoking heavily and we're smiling at every occasion cos whatever we attempted to say to them (in Chinese) they just didn't understand. The food we had a diner was a feast and there is no getting away from the guilt of them just watching you! Then they prepared beds for us and waited until we fell asleep!
All was very authentic indeed although the more foreigners come this way; the more this becomes a business transaction rather than a typical experience! This was no innocent invite and the money we offered the next day before leaving wasn't quite what the guy had in mind! ;) Near enough though and after another feast of rice for breakfa
st we set off to what was going to be the worse walk I have even had. To be fair, at first we saw some spectacular rice fields, but then we walked on a very boring road for many kilometres and then the tropical rain started! You all know how much I like the rain and how happy it makes me! Need I say more, it took us an hour to get to the next village! I think only my lungs didn't get wet!! The village we got to was a ghost town where we got stuck in until the next day cos there weren't any buses!
Now we are in Jinghong again, we made another attempt at finding some
interesting places around the area and stayed with another family in
Jingzeng another little village! The food was amazing. In fact I have
decided to write down all the stuff I have seen and learnt about different Chinese foods from setting foot in Beijing! Great stuff! Anyway we're now off to Kunming on another sleeper bus! God help us!
All take care; will do more specific emails soon! ZD people I'm thinking of you, keep me posted on the situation!
Lot of love!
Little Mendez xxx
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